The present invention relates to combining a replaceable filter and a suction device in a closed loop home or hotel whirlpool bath, hydrotherapeutic baths, and other bathing receptacles.
Whirlpool-type baths have been employed to treat discomfort resulting from strained muscles, joint ailments and the like. More recently, such baths have been used increasingly as means of relaxing from the daily stresses of modern life. A therapeutic effect is derived from bubbling water and swirling jet streams that create an invigorating sensation to massage the user""s body.
To create the desired whirlpool motion and hydro massage effect a motorized water pump draws water in through a suction fitting in a receptacle, such as a bathtub. The user first fills the bathtub. Then the user activates the closed loop whirlpool system. The water travels through a piping system and back out jet fittings. Jet fittings are typically employed to inject water at a high velocity into a bathtub. Usually the jet fittings are adapted to aspirate air so that the water discharged into the receptacle is aerated to achieve the desired bubbling effect. (See for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,039, incorporated herein by reference).
Whirlpool baths currently do not have a filtration system to filter debris in the water as do indoor and outdoor spas. Whirlpool baths are designed as with a normal bathtub to be drained after each use. However, debris in the form of dead skin, soap, hair and other foreign material circulates throughout the piping and pump system. This debris does not completely drain and over time accumulates in the piping system and may cause a health risk. Also hair may get twisted and entrapped in the whirlpool bath pumps impeller. Whirlpool bath manufactures for some time have been trying to devise a way to incorporate a filtration system on a closed loop whirlpool bath. The major obstacle they face in using a filtration system for a whirlpool bath is in complying with the plumbing codes. There is no filtration system that is specifically designed for a drain down whirlpool bath that allows a whirlpool bath to pass requirements set forth by plumbing codes. Another reason why there are no filtration systems for Whirlpool bathtubs is because Whirlpool baths must meet stringent drain downcode requirements set up by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The code that governs whirlpool baths is entitled xe2x80x9cWhirlpool Bath Appliancesxe2x80x9d (ASME A112.19.7M 1995). Section 5 of this code covers water retention. It states the xe2x80x9cwhirlpool bath appliances shall be of such design as to prevent retention of water in excess of 44 ml. (1xc2xd fl oz) for each jet and suction filter. The average whirlpool bath has a 6-jet system and has one suction fitting. This system configuration can only retain 10xc2xd ounces of water in the complete whirlpool bath system after draining to meet code. This is for a six jet one suction whirlpool bath. Most quality whirlpool baths retain less than 4 ounces of water in the whirlpool bath system after draining. Therefore, the filter part of the system cannot retain over six and a half ounces of water, because the total water retention would exceed 10xc2xd ounces. These requirements for whirlpool baths fall under the American Society of Mechanical Engineers code entitled xe2x80x9cWhirlpool Bathtub Appliances.xe2x80x9d Currently there are no known filtration systems designed for whirlpool baths. Currently there are no known filtration systems designed for whirlpool baths that retain less than 6xc2xd ounces of water except for the present invention.
Another important consideration in developing a filtration system for whirlpool baths is the ease of replacing the filter. It needs to be designed so the filter can be replaced from inside the bath. This way access panels on the underside of the whirlpool bath to access the filter can be eliminated. The most logical choice for a filter location is in the suction fitting. Placing the filter in the suction fitting presents a whole other range of design concerns. First placing a filter in the suction fitting might cause undue stress on the pump motor. The suction filter must pass the codes set up by ASME for suctions. The code for suctions from ASME is titled Suction Fittings for use in swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, and whirlpool bathtub appliances (ASME/IAMPO reaffirm 1996). There are a variety of load and structural tests the suctions have to pass. The present invention provides a cavity that houses a filter that could be installed to have the filter replaced from the inside of a whirlpool bath. The complete filtration system retains less than 4 ounces of water and as little as 2 ounces of water; so most whirlpool bath companies could use it on their whirlpool bath models and pass the drain down codes for whirlpool baths. The filter had to be made small to meet the drain down requirements. However, since it was small it had to be very efficient. The present invention has a specially designed filter core. The core is engineered with varying spaced and sized holes along the length of the core. This design allows water to be drawn through just about the entire filter. Without this design the filter would only pull water through about 20% of the filter near the outlet.
The present invention also provides a new face plate cover. This cover has to be easily removable. It also has to pass the heavy load, impact and hair entrapment tests set out by ASME/IAMPO. One cover embodiment has a radius and back ribbing on it and a removable insert support to pass the strength tests. The preferred embodiment faceplate is flat with structural fins on its back side, thus eliminating the removable insert. Each cover has just the right amount of sized holes to pass the hair entrapment tests. The result is the fluid suction filter device that is especially made just for whirlpool baths.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,039 (1982) to Hibbard et al. discloses a hydromassage apparatus for a whirlpool bath system. It has a closed loop water circulation system, adjustable nozzles and venturi air injector, (incorporated herein by reference).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,873 (1987) to DeSousa et al. discloses a front load skimmer type filter for spas and pools. A skimmer housing supports a polyester fabric filter having pleated filter media and a central polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe with a porous core, a solidified potting compound for a solid top, and an open bottom. It does not support a series of expanding diameter holes for the porous core as does the present invention, (incorporated by reference). It does not meet draindown requirements of ASME for whirlpool baths as does the present invention. It does not meet the ASME requirements for suction fittings and therefore needs to operate in conjunction with a below the waterline suction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,434 (1982) to Jaworski discloses a filtration system piped in away from a pool, spa, hot tub and the like. A filter cartridge and filter is used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,790 (1982) to Chalberg discloses a three piece whirlpool bath suction outlet assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,308 (2001) to Patil et al. discloses a bacteriostatic filter cartridge having elements impregnated with an anti-microbial agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,712 (2000) to Charlberg et al. discloses a whirlpool bath suction device with a cavitation assembly to cause the pump to lose its prime when hair blocks the faceplate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,339 (1998) to Perry et al. discloses a suction device for a spa or jetted tub with a turbulence reduction design to reduce the possibility of entangling a user""s hair in the faceplate.
The main aspect of the present invention is to provide in a whirlpool bath a suction fixture and replaceable filter combination apparatus.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a safety plate for the suction intake which resists hair entrapment.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a pop off suction faceplate and a pop out filter core to provide safety features to prevent drowning.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a safety/sanitation port to cause cavitation if the filter is absent or improperly inserted.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a minimal water retention filter to retain less than 6xc2xd ounces of water after draindown.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a housing which is readily retrofitable and/or incorporated into a new whirlpool bath that retains minimal water.
Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
The housing of the suction filter is generally rectangular having a length of four inches to two feet. A semi-cylindrical recess extends behind the installation wall of the tub. The recess surrounds a disposable cylindrical fiber filter which has a support tube in its core. The support tube has a plurality of water holes having increasing diameters extending away from the water outlet. These holes provide for a water flow along the entire length of the filter, instead of just making use of the filter at the outlet and of the filter.
The housing has a sloped lower shelf and slots to allow water to drain back into the tub after shutdown. The housing has a sharp radius end opposite the outlet end, thus allowing the housing to be fitted into the side wall of a tub through a standard size opening cut.
The housing mounting flange has nominally 6-10 counter sunk holes for bolting to the tub via standard nuts and bolts. Silicone is used on the back of the housing flange to prevent leaks.
The original faceplate shown in FIG. 4 slides into the housing to provide for filter replacement. The faceplate has a radius shape to prevent a limb from being sucked up against it which could entrap a body part. ASME hair entrapment standards are met using a plurality of slots or holes. Impact and load tests are met.
In the preferred embodiment faceplate shown in FIG. 25 support bars are now built into the faceplate and fit into receiving slots in the housing. This creates a solid part and allows it to pass impact and load tests called out by ASME code. This is the only suction for whirlpool bathtubs that is designed for the structured supports to be removed after the suction is installed and allows a filter to be installed in the suction housing or replaced and still pass these test. All other known suctions have the main structured support as part of the body (housing) and these supports cannot be removed. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,339 which represents all other known suctions. FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,339 shows a face view of the support. FIG. 3 shows how FIG. 5 screws in permanently into body 20 of FIG. 3. These supports (26b, 28b called a guide) cannot be removed once the suction is installed.
The preferred faceplate is larger than standard faceplates because of the size of the removable filter. The combination of a filter and a suction in a single device is not known in the prior art. The faceplate now has slots to allow a larger volume of water to pass through it. Because of the increased size of the faceplate the slots have to be designed and engineered in a radiating pattern. This is very important for the plastic injected molding process. With the present design over a horizontal (see ""339 patent) or vertical design, the pressure of the injected plastic from the injection point of the mold, (usually the injection point of a mold is located in the center of the mold) hits the small end of the slots instead of the wide end of the slots. The shorter end of the slot can withstand a great deal more pressure over time before failure than if the pressure were subjected to the wide side of the slots. This allows for much longer mold life and a more pleasing finished product. The radiating pattern of slots gives a straight-line flow to the outer edge of the faceplate part. U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,339 FIG. 4 shows a standard slot opening arrangement that represents the arrangement of slots used by manufacturers of slotted face faceplates. U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,712 FIG. 2 shows circular hole openings which represents how other faceplates are made. Slots are preferable over circular holes to increase flow.
The preferred embodiment housing eliminates the drain down slots of the original design because water now evacuates through the bottom slots of the faceplate. The filter core ID is preferably 2xe2x80x3 to allow for 200 GPM flow. No other manufacturer makes a filter for whirlpool bathtubs or a filter that fits into a housing outlet that has a 2xe2x80x3 ID. Without this ID you would not be able to get 200 GPM to run through the filter core allowing a combination filter suction an overall 200 GPM rating and meets ASME entrapment requirements.
The filter core also has two slots cut into the end that fits into the outlet of the housing. The housing has two male ridges. This makes the preferred filter core the only filter core that fits the preferred housing. The core is designed with varying sized holes and slots. The holes furthest from the outlet port are larger than the holes near the outlet port. This allows water to pull through the entire filter.
The male ridges align a gasket to cover a safety/sanitation port. The core when inserted into the outlet port side of the filter covers the safety/sanitation port, a hole opening that has a plastic tube attached. If the filter were removed or if a person tried to operate the unit without the filter core covering this hole, air from the tube would be drawn into the pump and the pump would cavitate (draw more air than water). The whirlpool bathtub would not operate properly, and people would turn it off. The importance to this is no user would run the unit without the filter in place. The feature reduces the chance of drawing contaminates into the whirlpool bath system. Once contaminates such as hair are entrapped in the pumps impeller, the entire whirlpool bath system becomes contaminated until someone opens the whirlpool bath pump (a long and time consuming process usually requiring a professional), frees the entrapped hair and sanitizes the complete system.
Right now by code, every suction faceplate must be engineered so the faceplate cannot be removed without using a tool. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,712 FIG. 2 that shows screw hole openings and U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,339 FIG. 3 number 22 that shows the screw. All known suctions on the market use a form of screw or the like to attach the faceplate to the housing. There are some suction manufacturers that have a cavitation device in the faceplate of the suction, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,712. If the face of the suction is restricted significantly, the unit cavitates and the suction against the faceplate decreases. These designs are still dangerous. Hair can still become twisted in the faceplate before the unit shuts down. Once the hair is trapped, you need a tool by code to take the faceplate off. In most cases a screwdriver to remove the screw. The entrapped hair traps the head of the user underwater in the tub water. People still can drown with these devices. The reason for this code of needing a tool to remove the faceplate is that if the faceplate of current suctions are removed, body parts or hair could get trapped in the exposed housing support cross members that are an integral part of the suction body (nonremovable). Since the preferred embodiment suction filter will not operate without the filter in place, there is no need for the screw. If the filter were in place and someone did get their hair caught in the preferred faceplate, the faceplate is held in place by magnets; and the whole faceplate pops off easily. If hair got caught in the exposed filter if the unit were run without the faceplate cover, the filter also pops out easily. There is no chance of getting entrapped if the filter is removed, because the unit cavitates and ceases the suction action and trigger no obstructions in the outlet for anything to become entrapped
The filter core has a gasket that slides over the safety/sanitation port which is a cavitation hole. Without this gasket, the replaceable plastic filter core would rub against the plastic housing outlet and could cause wear over the years to the housing outlet.
The faceplate now preferably attaches to the housing with magnets.
The screw hole openings of the housing are recessed for flush mounting. They also are flat recessed.
The filter media is preferably made out of polypropylene. Others in the spa industry use polyester media No one has an approved filtration system for whirlpool baths, so filters are not used on whirlpool baths. Polypropylene media can be treated in the manufacturing process with antibacterial agents, whereas polyester media cannot be treated effectively with antibacterial agents.
The preferred filter is designed to retain less than 3 ounces of water.
The suction filter housing is installed by using screws to attach it to the whirlpool bathtub. No other suction currently uses screws for installation. All other suctions currently place the housing behind the hole-opening cut into the sidewall of the whirlpool bathtub, and a separate threaded base ""339 number 14 is screwed into the housing forming the installation. By using screws the present invention eliminates this extra plastic injected part.
The preferred housing is the only known housing that has sloped sides of the inner wall to allow water to drain back into the whirlpool bathtub when the whirlpool bathtub system is deactivated whether the unit is installed facing left or right.
The present suction filter device could be designed in other configurations than its current rectangular form. The unit could also be designed in a round form or any other shape or size. The filter and filter core could also be made shorter, longer, larger or smaller. The filter could be made smaller for less money to be disposable after each whirlpool bath use. The filter could even be designed in such a way to be incorporated into existing suctions with modification of those suctions. The filter media that filters the water could be pleated or wrapped without pleating around a filter core.
The housing could be designed to incorporate multiple filters. The ridges and slots at the end of the filter core could be made in a variety of shapes or locations to ensure the use of only one filter.
The main body housing could be vacuum formed and become an integral part of the whirlpool bathtub.
The magnets holding the faceplate to the housing could be larger or smaller and arranged in various other locations on each part. The amount of magnets used could be increased or decreased. The faceplate could also be attached using various snap-on configurations. An installation-sealing gasket could be used. The slope in the sidewalls of the housing could be increased or decreased. The overall size of the suction filter could be increased or decreased.
The housing body, faceplate or filter core could be made from other material than injected plastic; it could be stamped or machined out of metal or other material.
The radiating slotted design of the faceplate could have a radiating round hole design.
The safety cavitation hole could be placed anywhere rearward on the outlet of the housing and be various sizes or have multiple openings.
The filter could have various sanitizing materials in its core such as slow dissolving chlorine tablets or other sanitizing material incorporated into the filter core.
The screw and nuts that attach the housing to the sidewall of the whirlpool bathtub could have a washer or use locking nuts or clips and have varying sizes and be made out of a variety of materials, including plastic and nylon or some space age material.
The faceplate back support ribbing is designed in an X pattern, which offers outstanding structural integrity. The circular ribbing adds tremendous strength to the center impact point of the faceplate.
The faceplate is designed to protrude less than xc2xdxe2x80x3 into the tub when attached to the housing. This streamline design protrudes much less than most current suctions adding more room to the bathing area of the whirlpool bathtub.
The slotted holes on the top, sides and bottom of the faceplate extend out keeping in line with the radiating design pattern on the face of the faceplate. This makes it an easier part to inject with plastic.
The housing has a flange that provides a resting area for the peripheral ledge of the faceplate when the faceplate is attached to the housing. This resting area allows for weaker magnets to be used to keep the faceplate attached to the housing.
When a conventional suction fitting is operated under a high flow rate, the water flow inside of the fitting can become turbulent or can vortex like a tornado. When the water flow through such a fitting becomes turbulent or vortexes, hair extending through the faceplate of the fitting can become entangled within the fitting, thereby rendering the hair difficult to remove from the fitting. Accordingly, the conventional fitting cannot pass the five-pound pull test at high flow rates.
The present invention filter inside the housing disrupts this vortex. Tests have proved that the GPM actually increase with the filter installed by eliminating these vortexes than running the same test with the filter removed. Less vortex results in less of a chance someone could get his or her hair twisted in the faceplate and entrapped. Therefore, another feature of the present invention is to help provide a laminar flow through the suction/filter.